Archive for category Dust 514

Let’s face it. Whenever we hear or see the word “FREE”, we do a double take on what the word is attached to. In this case, a multiplayer game developed by CCP studios in Iceland (yes, you read that right), will be free to play on the PSN network, according to a press release sent to me today.

“DUST 514 has everything you could want in a shooter: thrilling gameplay, spectacular graphics and an incredible strategic depth that comes from sharing the living universe of EVE Online,” said CCP CEO Hilmar Pétursson. “DUST 514 embodies the passion and creativity the world has come to expect from CCP, and we think PlayStation®3 owners will be amazed at the opportunity to play such a groundbreaking new game of this caliber for free.”

CCP games also developed EVE online. A game that brought a good amount of attention in the industry. “As the first true free-to-play FPS on PS3™, Dust 514 signifies a big step forward in the evolution of console gaming,” said Phil Rosenberg, SVP of Business Development, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. “PS3 is the only platform where players will experience a AAA game like this for free, and it showcases our commitment to deliver the best games exclusively on PlayStation Network.”

The game is scheduled to launch later this year. Their original idea was to sell the game at $20, and return the $20 to you with in-game currency. Now that plans have changed, will you give it a try since it will be free of charge?

Update: “Closed private trials of DUST 514 began in December 2011 and will be organically expanding throughout the beta period. All Fanfest attendees will receive invitations to the private trial. The game is scheduled to launch later this year.”

Although I reported on this back in 2009, I didn’t pay much attention to it at the conference, as I thought to myself “it’s just another FPS game.” All because I forgot about its existence to begin with. Turns out, it’s a LOT bigger than that. I remember hearing about the concept a while back, but it has now gotten back in the spotlight in a big way.

With that said, it should be rather obvious that the game has a heavy multiplayer focus (the developer, CCP, was the same group of folks behind the MMO EVE Online, and this game takes place in that same universe). In fact, it is an MMO. The EVE universe is made up of thousands of solar systems. On EVE Online, MMO players create colonies and structures on planets within those solar systems, which are said to be the potential battlegrounds for DUST 514 players. This is where the persistence really comes into play, as your losses and victories will affect the entire EVE universe in some way.

CCP (the Shanghai studio) is currently developing a first-person shooter for consoles (most likely 360 and PS3). The game also, apprently, has some RTS elements as well. The kicker is that it’s a massively multiplayer title. And it takes place in the EVE Online universe. The name of the game? DUST 514. Apparently, the game has been in development for the past 3 years, and was only recently trademarked this month. Here’s what they told GamesIndustry.biz:

Our success with EVE Online has afforded us the highest caliber global design and production talent in gaming. With a team of the best minds in the industry, we conceived an ambitious new take on virtual world development with DUST 514.

That’s not all, though. IGN has also revealed a few other tidbits as well:

DUST 514 is a first-person shooter that’s being incorporated into the EVE universe, acting essentially an MMO for consoles. It’s a mix of first-person shooting and real-time strategy gameplay where you play as a marine with a rifle running around on the ground. It’s not only set in the EVE universe, it’s actually connected to EVE. The DUST battlefields will determine who controls territory within EVE’s world. The EVE Online players will have to contract players of DUST to go in and destabilize territory. CCP’s hope is that the first-person shooter crowd on consoles and the PC EVE Online crowd will eventually form alliances together.

That’s actually one hell of an ambitious game. The set up for how you play on DUST and it affecting EVE Online players on the PC, is one big step in gaming. Especially since it’s technically not the same game. As far as other information is concerned, there hasn’t been anything revealed beyond that. No pricing system, release date, etc. We will see more information pop up at CCP’s Fanfest in October, though. There was also a trailer shown, but it is currently unavailable.